Lemhi County

Lemhi County, Idaho — Key demographics

Population size

• 8,118 (2020 Decennial Census)

Age

• Median age: 50.9 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: 19%
• 18 to 64: 54%
• 65 and over: 27%

Gender

• Male: 51%
• Female: 49% (ACS 2018–2022)

Race and ethnicity (ACS 2018–2022)

• White, non-Hispanic: ~91%
• Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~5%
• Two or more races, non-Hispanic: ~3%
• American Indian and Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: ~1–2%
• Asian, non-Hispanic: <1%
• Black or African American, non-Hispanic: <1%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: <1%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~3,700
• Average household size: ~2.17
• Family households: ~58% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~21–22%
• Nonfamily households: ~42%
• Living alone: ~34% of households; 65+ living alone: ~15%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~76%

Insights

• Small, rural county with an older age profile and predominantly non-Hispanic White population
• Household sizes are modest, with a high share of owner-occupied units and many single-person households

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year estimates.

Lemhi County, ID has roughly 8,200 residents (2023 est.) spread over 4,569 sq mi—about 1.8 people per sq mi, with population concentrated in Salmon and along the US‑93 corridor.

Estimated email users: about 6,000 adults (≈90% of 18+). User age mix (of email users): 18–34: ~21%; 35–54: ~31%; 55–64: ~16%; 65+: ~32%. Gender split among users mirrors the county: ~51% male, ~49% female.

Digital access and trends:

• About 75–80% of households have a broadband subscription; 82–85% have some form of internet. Fixed wireline is strongest in town; mountainous, sparsely populated areas rely more on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite.
• Satellite (e.g., LEO) and fixed‑wireless uptake have grown in outlying areas as alternatives to limited cable/fiber plant.
• Mobile‑only internet households are roughly 10–15%, reflecting strong smartphone penetration and gaps in fixed service.
• Public Wi‑Fi (libraries/schools) remains an important supplemental access point.

Implications: Email reach is high across all adult cohorts, with particularly strong engagement among 35+ segments. Connectivity is highly location dependent; heavier email content (large images/attachments) may load slowly outside Salmon and the main corridor.

Mobile phone usage in Lemhi County, Idaho (2024 snapshot)

Headline user estimates

• Population base: approximately 8,000–8,300 residents.
• Active mobile phone users (any mobile): 6,600–7,100 residents. This reflects rural adoption patterns where mobile phone ownership among teens and adults typically approaches 90%+ despite coverage gaps.
• Smartphone users: 5,300–5,900 residents. Rural smartphone penetration tends to run below statewide urban levels, primarily due to age mix and income.
• 5G‑capable handset users: 2,800–3,400 residents. Device mix in Lemhi skews older, with slower upgrade cycles than the Idaho average.
• Mobile‑only home internet: roughly 500–700 households rely on mobile data as their primary internet, higher than the Idaho average on a percentage basis due to limited fixed broadband options outside Salmon and the US‑93/ID‑28 corridors.

Demographic breakdown and usage tendencies

• Age:
  • 13–34: ~95% smartphone take‑up; heavy app and messaging use, hotspotting for homework/work where home broadband is weak.
  • 35–64: ~85–90% smartphone; frequent Wi‑Fi calling to compensate for weak indoor signal.
  • 65+: ~65–75% smartphone; above‑average basic/feature‑phone retention vs Idaho statewide. Text and voice remain more important than high‑bandwidth apps.
• Income and plans:
  • Higher share of prepaid and budget MVNO lines than the Idaho average, driven by lower median income and coverage‑driven carrier selection.
  • Slower device replacement cycles; noticeable lag in adoption of eSIM‑only and flagship devices compared with Boise‑Nampa urban markets.
• Work and travel:
  • Seasonal swings: rafting, hunting, and public‑lands traffic raise temporary subscriber load along US‑93 and ID‑28 in summer/fall, with noticeable evening congestion on LTE.
  • Field workers (forestry, ranching, construction) rely disproportionately on signal boosters and offline‑capable apps; Wi‑Fi offload at home, school, and libraries is common.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Radio access:
  • Coverage is anchored by LTE along the Lemhi River valley (Salmon area), US‑93, and ID‑28. Service drops quickly in canyons, mountain benches, and deep forested areas.
  • 5G availability is limited and largely low‑band; practical user experience is LTE‑first. Mid‑band 5G density lags state corridors (I‑84, Treasure Valley, I‑15).
  • T‑Mobile coverage is spotty outside town centers; Verizon and AT&T provide the most consistent rural footprints. Inland/regional carriers and MVNOs fill gaps but often roam.
• Backhaul and capacity:
  • Long microwave backhaul spans and sparse fiber laterals constrain upgrade speeds; tower spacing is wide by necessity of terrain. Capacity is most constrained at evening peaks and during events.
  • Public safety: FirstNet (AT&T Band 14) presence focuses on primary corridors and Salmon; off‑corridor coverage remains thin, so agencies supplement with land‑mobile radio.
• Devices and workarounds:
  • Above‑average use of vehicle and home signal boosters, Wi‑Fi calling, and downloadable maps/content.
  • Satellite messaging and SOS features see higher practical use than in urban Idaho due to frequent coverage dead zones during recreation and ranching operations.

How Lemhi County differs from Idaho statewide

• Adoption level: Overall mobile ownership is high, but smartphone and 5G‑capable penetration are several points lower than state averages because the county is older and more rural.
• Network mix: Day‑to‑day experience is LTE‑centric with limited low‑band 5G; Idaho’s urban corridors see broader mid‑band 5G and higher median speeds.
• Plan and device profile: Higher prepaid share, older handsets, and slower upgrade cadence than the state’s metro areas.
• Mobile‑only dependence: A larger slice of households rely on mobile data as primary internet compared with the statewide rate, reflecting patchy fixed broadband.
• Coverage variability: Signal reliability is highly corridor‑dependent, with sharp drop‑offs off‑valley—far more pronounced than in southern Idaho population centers.

Practical implications

• Businesses should assume LTE as the baseline and design for offline capability, local caching, and Wi‑Fi calling.
• Public‑facing services benefit from SMS‑first communication and low‑bandwidth web/app design.
• Infrastructure investments that matter most locally: additional LTE/mid‑band 5G sites on main corridors, fiber backhaul to existing towers, in‑building coverage solutions for public facilities, and expanded community Wi‑Fi for offload.

Lemhi County, Idaho — social media usage snapshot (2025, modeled from latest public data)

Topline user stats

• Population: ~8,300 residents
• Active social media users (any platform, monthly): ~5,300 (≈64% of residents)
• Average platforms used per person: ~2–3

Age mix of social media users

• 13–17: 7% (~370 users)
• 18–24: 9% (~480)
• 25–34: 14% (~740)
• 35–44: 16% (~850)
• 45–54: 18% (~950)
• 55–64: 17% (~900)
• 65+: 19% (~1,000)

Gender breakdown of social media users

• Male: 51% (~2,700)
• Female: 48% (~2,540)
• Nonbinary/other: 1% (~50)

Most‑used platforms in Lemhi County (share of social media users; multi‑platform use is common)

• YouTube: 78% (~4,130 users)
• Facebook: 71% (~3,760)
• Instagram: 39% (~2,070)
• TikTok: 34% (~1,800)
• Snapchat: 27% (~1,430)
• Pinterest: 22% (~1,170)
• X (Twitter): 16% (~850)
• LinkedIn: 9% (~480)
• Nextdoor: 3% (~160)

Behavioral trends and usage patterns

• Facebook as the community hub: Local groups, events, school and sports updates, lost‑and‑found, obituaries, emergency notices, and heavy Marketplace activity dominate engagement. Comment threads are long and neighborly; shares drive reach.
• YouTube for practical and outdoor content: Strong interest in how‑to/DIY, ranching and equipment repair, hunting/fishing, wildfire and weather tracking, and local tourism spots. Longer watch sessions on evenings and weekends.
• Visual, short‑form growth: Reels/Shorts/TikTok see the fastest engagement growth among under‑35s, especially for outdoor, rodeo, motorsports, and local business promos.
• Instagram for businesses and tourism: Restaurants, outfitters, guides, lodging, and events use photo carousels and short video; Stories drive day‑of foot traffic.
• Snapchat concentrated among teens: Primary peer messaging and quick story updates tied to school, sports, and weekend plans.
• Pinterest skew female 25–54: Recipe, home, craft, homestead, and seasonal decor content; saves and outbound clicks outperform comments.
• X (Twitter) is niche: Used mostly by news watchers, public officials, and a small tech/outdoor enthusiast segment; low local conversation density.
• Messaging funnels matter: Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs are primary contact channels for local businesses; many transactions start in comments then shift to DMs.
• Timing: Peaks before work/school (6–8 a.m.) and evenings (7–10 p.m.); weekend mid‑mornings perform well. Seasonal spikes around summer tourism, county fairs/rodeos, hunting season, and weather or wildfire events.
• Trust dynamics: Content from known locals, schools, churches, first responders, and long‑standing businesses is shared more widely and acted on faster than that from out‑of‑area pages or national influencers.
• Connectivity realities: Patchy rural coverage leads to batch engagement (offline daytime, catch‑up at night). Lightweight posts and captions with key info upfront outperform video‑only posts in low‑bandwidth pockets.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are 2025 modeled estimates derived from U.S. Census population for Lemhi County and U.S. platform adoption benchmarks (Pew Research Center 2023–2024, DataReportal 2024), adjusted for rural/older demographics typical of Lemhi County. Percentages are rounded; minor discrepancies may occur due to rounding and multi‑platform use.